Monthly Archives: February 2015

Okay. So Cantillon, the mother of all sours since 1900, never has to be “revisited” because it is always the boss. Many people don’t know what it is, though. Especially if you live in Toronto, where the stuff is pretty hard to find (though bar Volo always has the best selection and WVRST has a couple), and costs around $45 a bottle. The LCBO will never carry Cantillon. It’s the one brewery you should definitely visit if you go to Belgium, where you can witness open fermentation in all its musty glory, and apparently has a wicked cool cellar.

If you can’t make it to Belgium, head to whichever bar in your city/country is chosen each year for Zwanze Day, a celebration (and exclusive club of sorts) of all things Cantillon. For me, that’s Volo.

Zwanze Day at Volo

Though I hope to try many more varieties, the sip of apricot Fou’ Foune I had this summer at Zwanze Day was pure love, and the Rosé de Gambrinus and Grand Cru Bruocsella were as expected: sour, tart. I’d love to try the elderflower Mamouche, and the Muscat Saint Lamvinus (which Volo carries). Until then I will dream of Cantillon.

The origin story behind their name is pretty cool too: The ancient Sumerians worshipped the beer they made and praised the Goddess Ninkasi for the miracle of fermentation. As one of the first-known communities, the Sumerians began to forgo hunting and gathering for an agrarian existence, establishing the first foundations of modern civilization. They understood the value of beer in their communities and relied on the brewery as a pillar and hub of social connectivity. Additionally, beer and the fermentation process provided potable water, nourishment, health, and joy. It was the catalyst for written language and education; all valuable contributors to an evolved quality of life and living.

Budweiser got some major attention this Super Bowl Sunday thanks to their infamous ads, and I’m not talking about the horses. People can’t seem to stop talking about Budweiser’s cute puppies and anti-craft sentiment. Yet if you look at their Twitter page, there’s no sign of controversy:

Contrast this with the hundreds (soon to be thousands) of craft beer supporters calling out Budweiser on their bullshit.

In the ad, Budweiser makes fun of “Pumpkin Peach Ale,” which happens to be a beer Elysian makes, one of the craft breweries Budweiser’s AB InBev recently acquired.

It seems to me that Budweiser is taking a page out of the Unilever hypocrisy book, the company who makes men want to buy Axe to seem irresistible to modelesque women, and then tries to empower women to love their aging bodies through Dove ads. The Budweiser ad does seem aggressively defensive though, in a way that speaks volumes above any pro-Bud marketing: AB InBev is worried about what craft beer’s popularity means for their mass-produced tasteless beer. That’s why they’re buying craft breweries and investing in craft-themed marketing. Their latest ad might be more hurtful than helpful though: it’s divisive for both the craft community and their own company.